Materials Selection and Construction Processes

Research Program 2

Program 2 will focus on new fabrication processes including at the nano-scale for track components from both natural and synthetic materials manufactured/processed in Australia including steel rail, insulated rail joints, concrete sleepers, quarried aggregates (ballast and sub-ballast), rubber and plastic inclusions. Limited research has been done to enhance composite materials performance under fatigue i.e. sleeper-rail fastener-wheel assembly and the deformational characteristics of a single material zone (i.e. ballast layer) under harsh dynamic loading which often leads to particle degradation, fatigue, yielding and fracturing of track components. ITTC-Rail will examine the behavior of track components via an integrated program of field and laboratory testing using innovative field instrumentation.